The Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) is trying to prevent Michael Gauger from becoming the Republican nominee for sheriff — and they aren’t making that a secret.
“We do not want to see him (Gauger) become sheriff,” said John Kazanjian, president of the association, “And will do all we can to prevent that from happening.”
Gauger says the reason is to ensure that Democrat Ric Bradshaw, the county’s longest serving sheriff who is seeking a sixth term, will be pitted against a weaker candidate. Law-enforcement political action committees (PACs) have already donated $6,000 to Lauro Diaz, who is in a contentious GOP primary battle with Gauger to earn the right to oppose Bradshaw in the general election should Bradshaw win the Democratic primary. Bradshaw faces Alex Freeman in the August primary.
Gauger was once Bradshaw’s top deputy before the two had a falling out; Diaz, 62, was a 27-year employee at PBSO and ran unsuccessfully four years ago against Bradshaw. The PBA involvement marks the first time in recent years that the county unuion has assisted a Republican Party candidate in a primary for sheriff. It has long supported Bradshaw. Kazanjian is a Sergeant LE in the PBSO.